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Haryana deputes 12 IAS officers to review Covid preparations in districts
Grappling with the alarming rise in Covid-19 infections in state, the Haryana government on Friday restricted the passenger capacity to 50% in buses plying within the state and on inter-state routes
Grappling with the alarming rise in Covid-19 infections in state, the Haryana government on Friday restricted the passenger capacity to 50% in buses plying within the state and on inter-state routes.
In another step to check the spread of the contagion, the state government has closed all educational institutes (government and private), including colleges and universities will remain closed till April 30.
Also, the government has deputed 12 senior IAS officers, including additional chief secretary (ACS) rank officers, with immediate effect to review and monitor the Covid preparations in districts in addition to their present duties.
Haryana, on Friday, issued consolidated guidelines to contain the pandemic in state with immediate effect. The instructions include encouraging public to fix appointment through Saral app for video conferencing with officers in order to discourage official visits in the offices of secretariats at state and district level.
Financial commissioner and additional chief secretary (revenue and disaster management) Sanjeev Kaushal said the state government has released ₹10 lakh advance to all deputy commissioners for urgent Covid management.
Prohibition on movement of individuals for non-essential activities between 10pm and 5am in state will continue, and the government has allowed the DCs to impose Section 144 wherever necessary, for enforcement of Covid Curfew and for other restrictions as required locally.
Violators of the prohibitions will be imposed ₹500 fine.
RESTRICTIONS IN HARYANA
All educational institutes, government and private, will remain closed till April 30.
There is no curb on movement (inter-state and intra-state) of essential and non-essential goods.
Auto-rickshaws and e-rickshaws will be allowed to ply with two passengers, while one pillion rider will be allowed on a two-wheeler. Cabs will be allowed three passengers, excluding the driver.
Bars, restaurants and shopping malls will have to follow the already imposed curbs on public gathering.
In indoor spaces, people up to 50% of the hall capacity will be allowed with a ceiling of 50 persons. This will also apply on cinemas, theatres, multiplexes, bars, restaurants, hotels, clubs, and gyms.
In outdoor spaces, only 200 people can assemble. For funerals and cremations participation will be limited to a maximum 20 persons.
Physical offerings such as Prasad, langars, etc, distribution or sprinkling of holy water inside religious place will not be allowed.
However, there is no bar on community kitchens already running and following physical distancing norms while preparing and distributing food.
During social, academic, sports, entertainment, cultural, religious, political functions and other congregations in indoor spaces, maximum 50% of the hall capacity will be allowed with a ceiling of 50 persons.
Public will be motivated to conduct marriages and other functions in daytime to avoid traffic congestions at the time of commencement of night curfew.
6,277 NEW COVID CASES DETECTED
Haryana reported another high of 6,277 fresh Covid cases and 20 deaths on Friday pushing the active case tally to 33,817. A medical bulletin said the sample positivity rate is 5.07% and the recovery rate is 89.13%. Health authorities tested 41,658 cases on Friday.
Gurugram with 1,919 new cases was the leading district in state followed by Faridabad (980), Karnal (449) and Sonepat (418). Among the dead, three were from Rohtak, two each from Gurugram, Faridabad, Kurukshetra, Panchkula, Jind and Yamunanagar, and one each from Hisar, Karnal, Bhiwani, Fatehabad and Nuh.
12 CASES OF UK STRAIN DETECTED IN STATE
At least 12 fresh cases of UK strain of coronavirus have been detected in Haryana following whole genome sequencing reports received from the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
Health officials said 10 cases of UK strain (B.1.1.7) were detected from Karnal and two from Gurugram. “The Gurugram UK variant patients are residents of Delhi,” health officials said.
The detection of UK strain is the outcome of 276 specimens taken from patients and tested for whole genome sequencing.
On whether there is need to worry, additional chief secretary (ACS), health, Rajeev Arora said that the distinguishing factor of UK strain is its high transmissibility.
“It spreads from one person to another very fast. We are still awaiting outcome of 800 samples and are apprehensive that the speed at which the virus is multiplying in different districts, the UK strain can also spread,” he said.
KARNAL PVT HOSPITALS TO RESERVE 20% BEDS FOR EMERGENCY USE
Meanwhile, the Karnal district administration has directed all private hospitals to reserve 20% beds for emergency use. The directions were issued by deputy commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav in a meeting with doctors of private hospitals and senior officials of the administration. He said a team of doctors will visit private hospitals on regular basis. Private hospitals are to update status of beds and patients on a portal of government medical college and hospital every day.
Karnal chief medical officer Yogesh Sharma said following the surge, KCGMCH has been made a dedicated Covid hospital with 250-bed capacity, 116 of which are already occupied.
